Help understanding Alkalinity and PH

Member Posts : 64 Age : 54

According to the API PH test my PH in my tank (2 months old with 0 nitrites and 0 nitrates) is 7.8. I'd like to get it lower but don't want to add anymore chemicals right now. My Alkalinity according to the Jungle test strips is off the charts! Why? Is there something I can do other than more frequent water changes? I really don't want to add the peat.

Subject: Re: Help understanding Alkalinity and PH Tue Mar 01, 2011 10:32 pm

Distilled or RO water blended with your tap water will lower the Alkalinity and therefore you pH, but it's a hassle in the long run, better to pick livestock that is better suited to your water, IMHO. By the way most any fish can adjust to the higher pH. I raise my Goldfish at a high gH, kH and therefore pH (without any adjustment) than most people think would be possible.

Rick

Subject: Re: Help understanding Alkalinity and PH Wed Mar 02, 2011 1:43 am

No reason to mess with changing it unless you are going to be breeding special or sensitive fish, or if you are going to keep wild caught fish. Most fish you are going to get locally have been tank bread and raised or bred in fish farms. Therefore these fish are tougher and can and likely will do fine with a wide range of pH.

Member Posts : 64 Age : 54

That makes me feels a little better about the PH. But why is my PH about 7.8 and the alkalinity reading is "off the charts"? About a month ago, my PH was about where it is now with my total alkalinity way too low. I would think that these two readings would be more the same.

Subject: Re: Help understanding Alkalinity and PH Wed Mar 02, 2011 10:41 am

rsnprocess wrote:: That makes me feels a little better about the PH. But why is my PH about 7.8 and the alkalinity reading is "off the charts"? About a month ago, my PH was about where it is now with my total alkalinity way too low. I would think that these two readings would be more the same.

This is were it gets a little confusing. Alkalinity is the measure of general hardness(gH) and carbonate hardness(KH). KH is the only one that has an affect on pH (High KH = high pH) In the normal course of an aquarium KH is used up by the biological processes that just normally go on in a closed system. This is why you can have sudden drops in pH. It's better to test gH and KH separately that to measure total alkalinity. It tells you much more about the water chemistry. IM me and I'll send your a long, dry, in-depth article on the interactions of gH, KH and pH in a closed system.

Rick

Member Posts : 64 Age : 54

Thanks, I'd like to read the article you mentioned. Hope I can understand it.

Would adding some of the product Equilibrium help?

Subject: Re: Help understanding Alkalinity and PH Wed Mar 02, 2011 1:01 pm

I'm old school, The less chemicals you add to the water the better off you are.
Take care of the water and the water will take care of the fish. Regular water changes will do more that any thing that comes in a bottle. you can't change too much water IMHO. I change 15 to 40% per day everyday in my grow-out tanks,but in my set-up it's automated so it's not like I'm hauling 5 gallon buckets.

Rick

Subject: Re: Help understanding Alkalinity and PH Sat Mar 05, 2011 3:31 am

cooltow1 wrote:: I'm old school, The less chemicals you add to the water the better off you are.
Take care of the water and the water will take care of the fish. Regular water changes will do more that any thing that comes in a bottle.

Rick

Agreed.

In the article section is an article called Ammonnia and Nitrites and Nitrates, Oh My. It's a primer on the nitrification cycle and the chemistry involved, including a section on alkalinity and pH.

WYite

Help understanding Alkalinity and PH

* Aquarium Volume Calculator* Fahrenheit - Centigrade Conversion* Carbonate Hardness Unit Conversion* Liquid measurements

* Aquarium Volume Calculator
* Fahrenheit - Centigrade Conversion
* Carbonate Hardness Unit Conversion
* Liquid measurements